Fiber optic networks typically include interconnection closures at various splice locations throughout the fiber optic network. Typically, these interconnection closures include splice closures, patch closures, and the like. For example, splice closures commonly house the splices required to interconnect the optical fibers of one or more fiber optic feeder cables to respective ones of the optical fibers of one or more fiber optic drop cables. By housing the splices, a splice closure protects the spliced end portions of the optical fibers from environmental degradation, strain and other deleterious forces, thereby increasing the reliability and quality of the splices.
While fiber optic networks have traditionally served as the backbone or trunkline of communication networks to transmit signals over relatively long distances, fiber optic networks are gradually being extended closer to the end points of the communications networks. In this regard, fiber optic networks have been developed that deliver fiber-to-the-curb, fiber-to-the-home, fiber-to-the-business, fiber-to-the-desk, and the like. In each of these different types of applications, a splice closure must be capable of splicing different types of cables to establish the proper interconnections. In this regard, the splice closure utilized in a fiber-to-the-home, fiber-to-the-business, or fiber-to-the-desk application is mounted upon a fiber optic feeder cable and one or more fiber optic drop cables to permit at least some of the optical fibers of the feeder cable to extend uninterrupted through the splice closure while splicing or otherwise connecting other optical fibers of the fiber optic feeder cable with optical fibers of a drop cable. In contrast, a splice closure that is utilized in a fiber-to-the-curb application is mounted upon not just a fiber optic feeder cable and one or more drop cables, but also an electrical feeder cable. In this application, the splice closure must facilitate the splicing of one or more electrical conductors of the electrical feeder cable to corresponding electrical conductors of the drop cable, while permitting the remainder of the electrical conductors to extend uninterrupted through the closure. Additionally, the splice closure must facilitate the splicing of one or more of the optical fibers of the fiber optic feeder cable with respective optical fibers of the drop cable while continuing to permit at least some of the optical fibers of the fiber optic feeder cable to extend uninterrupted through the splice closure.
In either type of splice closure, the splice closure must provide a mechanism for connecting optical fibers, such as splicing one or more optical fibers of a fiber optic feeder cable with respective optical fibers of a drop cable. Typically, the splice closure includes one or more splice trays, coupler trays, and/or connector panels that facilitate the splicing or other connection of respective pairs of the optical fibers. For ease of reference, splice trays, coupler trays, and connector panels will be hereinafter referred to as “optical fiber connection trays” or simply “trays.” Each such tray is designed to house a plurality of connections between respective pairs of optical fibers. Since many splice closures include a large number of connections between respective pairs of optical fibers, splice closures oftentimes include a plurality of trays, typically stacked one upon another.
The trays are preferably secured within the splice closure such that the trays are fixed in position once the splice closure has been configured and is placed into service. As such, the trays should not shift or otherwise move once the splice closure has been placed into service since any shifting or other movement of the trays could harm the connections between respective pairs of optical fibers. Some splice closures include a strap, such as a hook and loop strap, that wraps about the trays to secure the trays in position. Alternatively, the trays may define an aperture and the splice closure may include a post upon which the trays are mounted such that the post extends through the corresponding apertures defined by the trays, thereby securing the trays in position.
While the trays are desirably fixed in position once the splice closure has been configured and placed in service, the splice closure is also preferably designed such that the trays can be readily accessed by technicians both during the initial configuration of the splice closure in which connections are established between respective pairs of the optical fibers and during any subsequent reconfiguration of the splice closure in which at least some of the connections between respective pairs of the optical fibers are changed. For splice closures that include a strap for retaining the trays, the strap must be released to access the trays, such as during reconfiguration of the splice closure. Upon removing the strap, however, the trays tend to slide relative to one another and to fan out so as to no longer be stacked one upon another. For example, the optical fibers that enter and exit the trays are typically disposed in transport tubes and buffer tubes. These tubes are stiffer than the optical fibers and may impose various forces upon the trays due to the manner in which the tubes have been bent during routing. Once the strap has been released, the forces imparted by the tubes will therefore generally cause the trays to slide relative to one another. Once a technician has appropriately reconfigured the splice closure, such as by reconfiguring the connections housed by one or more trays, the technician must restack the trays and refasten the strap, thereby creating additional work for the technician. Moreover, the movement of most, if not all, of the trays can also cause inadvertent damage to the connections between respective pairs of the optical fibers.
As will also be apparent, splice closures that include a plurality of trays mounted upon an upstanding post require the uppermost trays be removed to access the lower trays. Not only does the removal of the uppermost trays create additional work for the technician responsible for reconfiguring the splice closure, but the removal of the uppermost trays increases the risk that the connections housed by the uppermost trays will be damaged during the reconfiguration process. As such, it would be desirable for a splice closure to permit access to any one of the trays without having to move or otherwise handle any of the remaining trays.
The trays have a variety of sizes in terms of length, width and thickness. Thus, the compartment of the splice closure designed to receive the trays must be sufficiently large to receive trays having any of the various sizes that may be utilized. Since the compartment is thus generally oversized relative to the trays, splice closures that include straps or the like for retaining the splice trays might still permit some unintended movement of the trays. In this regard, the straps generally extend in a widthwise direction around the trays. As such, the trays can still move in a lengthwise direction since the compartment in which the trays are disposed may be longer than the trays. This unintended lengthwise movement of the trays can also harm the connections between respective pairs of the optical fibers.
Accordingly, while splice closures having one or more trays have been developed, it would be desirable to develop a splice closure that further protects the connections housed by the trays once the splice closure has been configured and placed in service. As such, it would be desirable to develop a splice closure that more securely retains the trays in a fixed position once the trays have been configured and the splice closure has been placed in service. Additionally, it would be desirable to develop a splice closure that permits the technician to more readily access any one of the trays without having to move or otherwise reposition the remaining trays.